Enjoy the Silence
by XxClassic.Rock.ChicaXx
Summary: Raven Moriarty was a loyal Manticore soldier, until Max burned the facility down. Set after 'Designate This', Raven searches for her own answers and her biological mother while helping Logan and Max save the transgenics from Ames White whenever she can.
1. Introductions

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic that are from James Cameron's Dark Angel. Any characters you may recognise belong to James Cameron and Fox Studios.

**Author's Note:** In a few of the following chapters, the fic follows the events in Designate This. Please bear with me as this is only for the beginning to help readers who may not have seen this episode to understand where I'm coming from in the future of this fic. Conversations and events that are from 'Designate This' do not belong to me, they once again, belong to Fox Studios.

* * *

_There's never a day when it seems like it happened to someone else. It always felt real; the pain, the torture, the exhaustion. It's a thing called Manticore. A secret government institution that specializes in producing genetically enhanced **super soldiers**. We were created and subsequently raised in training to be soldiers and assassins. In the year 2009, twelve of the X5 series escaped and I, along with many of the others, were held in psy-ops to ensure it would not happen again. Almost eleven years later, I had become the perfect soldier, killed many government agents whom opposed my home, my family, my Manticore...I am X5-434._

_Headquarters, 2019_

"Lights out, 434."

I didn't move, just stared up at the ceiling; my muscles ached from the training session of this afternoon. I'd fought another X5, alas; he was more advanced in the martial arts department than I was. I took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, focusing my mind on what was to be my new assignment: an ex-Manticore professor. After the escape of the twelve X5's, professors and assistants among many others fled the Manticore headquarters in fear of the government finding out about them. The new and improved Manticore soldiers and assassins hunted down the runaways and killed them; I was among them, of course.

"Lights out, 434! Now!"

I turned my head to the guard standing at my door, peering in through the small bars at the top.

"Yes, sir!"

I motioned to the guard and the lights turned out, bringing in the darkness that meant the end of another day.

"State your designation."

I was in a circular room, the walls made of steel and charts of DNA on them. It made this experience all the more daunting and unpleasant.

"X5-434, ma'am!" I stood tall, chin held high and looked directly into her eyes.

Doctor Elizabeth Renfro or Madame X as she's known pulled out a file and skimmed through it before setting her sights back onto me.

"You've been briefed on your assignment, I trust?" asked Renfro, looking back through my file.

"Yes, ma'am!" I answered confidently.

Renfro nodded and closed the file, "excellent. We've designed a cover for you, 434."

I looked at her expectantly and she smiled slightly, pacing in front of me. She ran her fingers delicately through her short, blonde hair and looked at me again.

"You're going to go in undercover as a martial arts student to our dear old doctor Frederiksen...I hear he's teaching quite a class down in Seattle," Renfro sneered.

I nodded and waited patiently for her to keep explaining anything else about my mission.

"I want you to wipe out his whole family, do you understand me? His wife, children, even their cat. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Thank-you, 434. Dismissed," Renfro waved a hand and a guard stood beside me, ready to lead me to wherever I was going.

I followed the guard obediently and just reached the door when Renfro spoke again.

"Oh, and 434...if you so happen to hear any information on a certain X5, don't hesitate to inform us."

I turned around and looked at her, "do you mean X5-452, ma'am?"

Renfro nodded and I bowed my head slightly, "I will not keep any information hidden."

"Good."

And with that, I was escorted out of the room.

"434!"

"Yes, sir?"

"You have one week to complete this assignment before you return to headquarters for the New Year," a drill sergeant told me.

"Yes, sir."

He handed me a large yellow envelope. I looked at it and then back to the large man.

"Permission to open the envelope, sir?" I asked, despite all my thoughts against it.

The drill sergeant seemed to think over my question and looked over his shoulder.  
"Permission granted," he said finally.

I slipped a fingernail underneath the sealing of the envelope and slid it open. I glanced up at the sergeant and then into the envelope; a pair of keys jingled as I slid the contents out onto the hood of a car. A sector pass, I.D card, mobile phone, pager and a few pamphlets fell out.

"Care to explain, sir?" I pushed slightly.

"The keys are to your motorcycle, which has also had a tracking device implanted into it. A sector pass in case things do not go according to plan and you must follow him into another sector of Seattle, an I.D card for obvious reasons and the mobile phone is to be used for contact. If by some unknown reason we cannot reach you on your cell, we will page you and we expect an immediate response. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"The pamphlets are for hotels, there are seven because as you know--"

"Never stay in one place for too long, sir. One hotel for each night, I understand," I concluded for him.

"One week is all you have, 434. No longer!" the sergeant barked.

I nodded and looked at the black Honda CBR1000 motorbike; I smiled slightly despite myself and put the contents back into the envelope before slipping it inside my black leather jacket. I grabbed the sunglasses off the sergeant's head and slid them over my own eyes, put the keys into the ignition and tore out of the Manticore headquarters' garage. Off to kill another ex-Manticore, what a life.


	2. Maxie

I sped along the highway, the wind whipping my hair back as my motorbike broke up the road. I'd just arrived in Seattle and I was _hating_ it. So many people, so many buildings and a hell of a lot of smog. I pulled up at another checkpoint and slid my sunglasses up into my hair.

"Sector Pass?" a Sector Police officer demanded.

I whipped out the sector pass and waited for him to see if it was legit.

"All right, you can pass through," said the officer after a moment.

"Thanks," I smiled and sped out of the checkpoint, into Sector 3.

I drove slowly through the crowded streets and noticed shops with broken windows, wrecked cars in alleys and people sleeping behind dustbins. Yep, it was definitely a depression but what I didn't understand was how it was actually called a depression. Sure, people had no money but they still had lives, they weren't all that 'depressed'. I shrugged slightly and pulled up at a noodle stand.

"Time to eat, I guess," I muttered, looking at my watch.

I went up to the stand and ordered a simple stir-fry mix from the Chinese vendor. He waited patiently while I counted out the money and slapped it on the counter.

"It won't take too long," he said kindly.

I nodded and looked around, a hover drone flew overhead and I ducked underneath the stall's cover until it left. I sighed and looked up again, it was definitely gone. I hated those things so much; it was like a police officer, just worse. They shot up the place and everything once they got your picture into their system to hunt you down; I was just paranoid about them, though. You never knew when someone was going to double-cross you.

"Here's your food, lady."

I took the little paper bowl and the plastic fork and started to eat the noodles, thinking over how I was going to go about my mission.

"Hey, it's Max...yeah, I'm hittin' ya back," a woman's voice said suddenly.

I looked up and saw a woman dressed in shorts, a t-shirt and a baseball cap, standing in a pay phone. She was about one hundred metres away from me but thanks to Manticore, I have excellent hearing. See, Manticore had this idea that to create the perfect soldier, they had to give us abilities no other human would have. They spliced us with other animals, like the X7's, they were spliced with bats; others had dolphin put into their 'cocktail'. I have an enhanced tolerance for cold, superhuman strength, flash-like speed, camera-like eyesight and photographic memory. After some severe tests performed when I was a child, I am now able to hold my breath for large amounts of time. The tests they performed with us then were never so pleasant, making us stay in a tank of water until we couldn't breathe any longer or until they decided that it was long enough. Nobody else knew how bad it was, apart from another transgenic. Nobody else understood and sometimes I wondered why I never attempted to escape.

"Logan, I don't think--No, of course, I want to help you but--Will you stop interrupting me?" Max said.

I listened intently and looked at the woman's back, my eyesight zoomed in and I saw a bar code that read 332960073452. It was _her_, 452!

A few minutes later, I was following 452 down an alley, clicheé but the whole of Seattle was littered with them. She suddenly stopped and turned, I jumped onto the roof of a building just in time. She looked around for a second and then started to walk again; I followed her along the rooftop, leaping from building to building as her pace increased. My DNA was spliced with that of a feline, giving me the ability to leap long or high distances but there was a downside to it. Three times a year I went into what was referred to as 'heat'. I had mating seasons three times a year due to the feline component in my DNA. That was never fun; I had a lot of trouble trying to control my urges for two or three days. I saw 452 stop again to tie her shoelace and I smirked, this was too perfect.

I leaped from the building onto the pavement, landing in a crouched position. I went to kick her down but she instantly turned and grabbed my ankle, spinning me up into the air and back to the ground.

"Who the Hell are you?" she demanded, trying to flip me onto my back.

I pushed up off the ground and kicked her in the stomach; she reeled back and glared at me.

"You're an X5?" she asked.

"Perhaps," I sneered and lashed out at her again.

X5-452 flipped me onto my stomach and pinned me down, I attempted to throw her off but she over-powered me. I felt my long, dark hair forcibly be pushed aside from my neck and I knew she was inspecting the bar code tattooed onto the back of it.

"337801039434? I know you," she breathed. "X5-434...we gave you a proper name, didn't we?"

"Screw your stupid names! I'm proud of my designation!" I spat.

She got off me and allowed me to stand up; I looked into her face and saw sadness etched deep into her dark eyes.

"Oh, don't look so cut," I muttered.

She gave me a strange look, possibly at my use of slang.

"I took Common Verbal Usage when I got cleared for my solo missions," I explained, circling her.

"You mean assassinations."

"Whatever, it was my job," I snarled.

452 looked at me again and I saw something else flicker in her gaze.

"You're not one of them...please, let me help you. I can help you escape from them...come with me," 452 said, smiling slightly and holding out a hand.

I took a step back, "never. I have my orders. Look, because we i used /i to be friends, I won't take you in now...run off and I'll track you down all over again."

"I don't need your charity, if you want to take me out, do it now," 452 said rather stubbornly.

"452..."

"It's Max, my name is Max."

I glared at her and turned on my heel, walking back to my motorcycle and away from my sister.

Two days had passed since I had seen Max; I had already enrolled into my martial arts class with the ex-doctor Frederiksen. I stood at the front of the class and practised a few punches and blocks with the 'master' himself.

"Good, Sandy, good," Frederiksen praised as I blocked a few punches. "You're learning quickly."

I smiled, "thank-you, sir."

I had 'forgotten' to mention that I already had skills in this area, not the best but still skilled. I blocked a kick of his and spun in the air, kicking him in the chest. Frederiksen landed on the floor with a _thud_.

"Excellent," he coughed, standing up slowly.

I bowed to him, hoping to all that was Holy that my hair wouldn't expose my bar code, he'd recognise me immediately. I straightened up as he looked me over, his eyes gleaming slightly. I rolled my eyes and kicked him back; he chuckled.

"Lesson's over, Sandy."

I smiled and walked over to my bag; I took out my clothes to change into and went into the back room. I came out soon after, dressed in jeans and a black top. I tied my hair up and put my black leather jacket on, flicking the collar up to hide the tattoo.

"So, I was wondering, I'm kinda new around here...could I borrow a map or anything to show me a way around to a good restaurant?" I said shyly, grabbing my bag.

Frederiksen seemed to consider me for a moment and chuckled again.

"My wife's an excellent cook, why don't you swing by for dinner tomorrow night?" he offered kindly.

"And we can get to know each other better, too!" I giggled, taking out a pen. "What's your address?"

"Uh, 434 Montee Cobra Court," he smiled and I wrote it down on my hand.

"_That_ can't be a coincidence," I muttered and swept out of the dojo.


	3. Mission Accomplished

**Author's Note:** OK, so this chapter is a tad violent. Young children get killed, nothing too graphic though, just a bullet in the head. If you don't want to read that, just skip the ending.

* * *

A portrait fell from the wall as I shook against it. I was in my hotel room, sitting on the floor, beside the bed. My body was shaking uncontrollably while I spoke on the phone. 

"I'm--getting the job--done tonight," I spoke with short pauses as I tried to catch my breath.

"Are you all right, 434?" the voice of a drill sergeant said.

"Not really, sir--you didn't get me any--Tryptophan..."

"I knew we'd forgotten something. 434, your mission is to find something else that contains it, we will give you medical treatment when you come home."

"Yes--sir."

I hung up the phone as the seizure ceased. I fell limp against the wall and took a deep breath; even with all the superhuman abilities inside of me, somebody screwed up somewhere along the line. While I'd been created with all these enhanced abilities, I do experience side effects from all that experimenting. Back at Manticore, they would usually dispose of the X5's with side effects but Lydecker wanted to keep me. I guess that's one thing to be appreciative of, Lydecker betrayed Manticore and now Renfro was after his blood, setting most of the X series on him.

There was a knock at the door and I shakily got to my feet. I walked slowly over to the door and opened it to see a house cleaner with a tray in her hands; a glass of milk sat on it.

"Thank-you," I muttered and took the glass of milk, the house cleaner left.

I sat down on the floor again and took a grateful sip; milk contained Tryptophan and therefore helped control my seizures. What's Tryptophan you ask? Tryptophan is an essential amino acid; this means it is a substance that the human body cannot produce on its own. Before the Pulse, Tryptophan was used as a dietary supplement and Manticore found that it worked best to raise the amount of serotonin my brain produces, controlling the severity of my seizures.

I finished my milk and closed my eyes, lying back on the floor. I was to meet Frederiksen tonight for dinner with his family; I need a clear mind and preferably as little shaking as possible. I sighed and willed myself to go to sleep, which was near impossible. I never slept.

I glared at the afternoon sun shining brightly into my hotel room. I squinted and stood up, feeling like a botched job. I'd stayed on the floor for hours, trying to stop the seizing. I stepped into the small and cramped bathroom, turned on the shower and relaxed as steam began to cloud over the bathroom. I undressed and stood under the hot water, allowing it to relax all my muscles. If I had one weakness, it was hot water. I loved to take long, hot baths and _sometimes _Manticore would reward me with one. Other times it was just a longer shower.

I got out ten minutes later and dressed in a black cat suit; I threw my leather jacket over it and grabbed my guns. I hummed as I strapped a knife to my thigh and put my two handguns into their holster around my waist. I grabbed my sunglasses and opened my window; I didn't need hotel staff seeing me like this.

"What the--?" I muttered, realizing there was no ledge to jump from to the street.

I groaned inwardly and leaned halfway out of the window; I looked up and grabbed a brick that was slightly protruding from the building.

"One...two...three," I counted softly before leaping onto the rooftop of the hotel.

My heeled boots slammed onto the shingles and I ran to the other side of the building, my bike was parked below and I smiled. I threw myself off the building and landed on the heavy lid of a dustbin.

Moments later, I was on my bike and tearing out of the parking lot.

I arrived at 434 Montee Cobra Court and looked up at the house. It was everything that a family home should be; the white picket fence, two-story house with blue window shutters and, judging from the kennel, they had a dog. I killed the engine and stepped off the bike, it was show time. They probably expected me to ring the doorbell, have dinner and then kill but...tempting as it was... I crouched down onto the ground, took a deep breath and leaped onto their roof. I crept over to the skylight in the center of the rooftop and peered down into it; Frederiksen's family was sitting in what appeared to be the lounge. His wife had their young daughter cuddled into her, wearing a pink dress. Their son was lying on his stomach on the floor and I suddenly remembered Max's words.

_"You're not one of them..."_

I shook my head and walked onto the skylight, my shadow cast down over the family, though they didn't realize. I jumped up and landed on the glass, shattering it loudly. Mrs. Frederiksen screamed and shielded the daughter. I straightened up and grabbed the son's arm as he tried to run, I broke it easily and he squealed like a little girl. The barking of their dog from outside was echoing loudly through the otherwise quiet street and I rolled my eyes.

"Who are you?" Mrs. Frederiksen demanded, tears shining in her eyes as I held her little boy by his throat in my black gloved hand.

"Ask your husband," I smirked. "He helped make me."

"No...You're--?"

"X5-434, ma'am. Sent by Manticore to rid the country of your husband," I said, throwing the boy lazily to the floor.

Hurried footsteps approached and I smiled, "finally. The man of the hour."

"What's going on here?" Frederiksen's voiced gasped.

I turned around and flipped my hair over my shoulder, I grinned before pulling out my handgun.

"Sandy--"

"No... It's X5-434," I smiled and gave a sarcastic little wave with my free hand. "And you just killed your family."

Without hesitation, I shot Mrs. Frederiksen in the head; she slumped over the couch and her daughter screamed.

"Mummy!"

I grabbed the little girl's arm and put the gun to her temple, she only looked about five-years-old. I closed my eyes and a single tear slid out.

"This won't hurt, I promise," I whispered.

The little girl cried and trembled, Doctor Frederiksen elbowed me in the small of my back and I kicked him in the head.

"You're no match for me, even with your martial arts," I sneered and turned away from the girl.

"I won't let you harm my children!"

"I have my orders!"

Frederiksen attempted to fight me but I used my superhuman speed to dodge all his hits, I finally had enough and threw him into the wall. He slumped down to the floor, his split skull bleeding out onto the carpet. I turned back to the daughter and the son and shot them both in the head. I let out a shaky breath as I felt the seizures try to start up again.

"Damn it..."

I grabbed the rope from my waist and tied it in a noose around Frederiksen's neck. I easily picked him up and carried him up to the second floor of the house, where I tied the other end of the rope around the banister and let him fall.

"Time to go back home..." I muttered to myself but not before making a pit stop.

I walked into their kitchen and opened their fridge; three bottles of milk were stored in it. I downed one bottle, put the other two in a plastic bag and slipped it inside my leather jacket.

As I tore out of the street and headed back for my hotel, I thought back onto what Max had said again. How could she say that? I just killed an innocent woman and two children...I _was_ one of them. I was proud to be but then why did I feel guilty now?


	4. Security Breach

I took another sip of milk as I shakily took out my mobile phone, Manticore had paged me twice. I was in trouble if I didn't hit 'em back soon.

"And the Father said...?" a voice asked.

"I will give them wings, so that they may spread them and their creation of Earth take flight," I answered.

"State your designation."

"X5-434. Bar code number 337801039434," I answered quietly, taking another sip of milk.

"And who did you wish to speak to, 434?"

"Renfro. Doctor Renfro."

"Hold one moment, please," the voice said and put me on hold before I answered.

I waited a few seconds before Renfro's voice spoke.

"What have you got for me, 434?" she asked.

"Mission accomplished, ma'am. The target and family has been eradicated, no unnecessary casualties," I said.

"Excellent, 434. Any problems?"

"No, ma'am."

"I hear your seizures have come back," Renfro sighed, "your medication is on order."

"Thank-you, ma'am."

The dialling tone sounded and I flipped my cell shut. I wasn't going to mention anything about Max being in Seattle for now. I looked around at all the people from the graffiti covered park bench I sat on, they were all so free. Free to do whatever they wanted, free to lead their lives. I sighed, Max's words had gotten to me. I _really_ needed to go back to Manticore, at least I knew it was real.

I smiled as I turned off a road into a highway that was usually quite secluded. Only reason why: Manticore's base was located not too far from here. Yep, an hour and a half out of Seattle and you'll find yourself in Gillette, Wyoming. The forests around the road were quiet, always quiet and nobody knew that deep inside them, children were being trained with guns and hunting. Home sweet home, I thought and smiled to myself. I dared myself to gun it down the stretch of road, I smirked and obliged. My hair looked like dark ribbons waving in the strong wind, I skidded to a halt, nearly stacking it as a convoy of trucks came into view. They were parked across the end of the road, blocking the entrance to the turn off of Manticore.

"What the freak?" I thought and stepped off the motorbike.

"Identification, please," an officer demanded.

"To what exactly? If I'm the freak or the creator of the freaks?" I sneered.

"Do you have a bar code or not?"

I rolled my eyes and flipped my hair away from my neck, exposing the tattoo. The guard waved me away and I was granted access to Manticore. The guard's eyes bore deep into mine until I waved two fingers at him and tore off down the street.

The gates of Manticore greeted me, opening as I let the security monitor scan my eyes. Guards walked over to me and one took my bike as I got off.

"Thanks, boys. Renfro's expecting me..." I said, taking off my sunglasses and putting them on top of my head.

"She's in her office but she'll be leaving here for a meeting in half an hour, so you better hurry, 434," said a guard, patting down my jacket, checking if I had any weapons.

"There's just a Colt Revolver in the back of my jeans, just in case you were gonna steal it," I informed him and walked away.

Everything here was so quiet, it was strange. There was no drill sergeant training the new X7's or any other form of transgenic being, it was so quiet. Unnatural. My boots clicked softly as I walked down the corridors of HQ, everything was so technical looking. The walls were all silver and metal-looking, the floor was steel, there were cameras everywhere but I still called it home. No matter how much I disapproved of the architecture or interior design.

"434, reporting for--" I stopped talking as I walked into Renfro's office.

Renfro turned around and another face looked up at me, it was a man.

"434, I believe you know--"

"Ben?" I whispered, inching forward.

He looked at me, puzzled, "what?"

"Nothing...you just look like one of the kids that escaped--"

"434!" Renfro scolded, grabbing my chin in her hand. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing, ma'am! I had a momentary emotional-- it won't happen again, ma'am!" I promised, wrenching my chin from her iron grip.

She took a step back and surveyed me with cold eyes, "I think we should try a few more tests on you..."

I gritted my teeth together, desperately trying to steel myself from yelling in fear.

"Whatever you think is best, ma'am!"

Renfro nodded in agreement and motioned to the man before me.

"This is X5-494. The twin of the deceased X5-493."

I nodded at him and he did the same, "we were in the same Common Verbal Usage lessons, ma'am."

"Excellent."

X5-494 smiled at me when she wasn't looking, I smiled back slightly and then looked back to the director. She looked through a folder and then to me.

"Has anything changed since the last phone call?" she demanded.

"No, director."

"Dismissed."

"Yes, ma'am."

Hours later, I'd been called back into Renfro's office, I was getting so sick of this. She was talking to a black man named Jim McGinnis, who had a bandage around his head, covering his left eye. I walked to the side and stood beside my fellow X5, whom we had named Brin back in the day.

"Hello, 434," she whispered and smiled.

"Hey, Brin," I whispered back. "What happened to McGinnis?"

"He lost an eye..."  
"Lydecker?"

"Yep."

I looked over at Jim and Renfro, he looked in pain. I could imagine how much it would hurt to have an eye cut out...I shivered, ew.

"May I please have something for the pain?" Jim asked Renfro, basically begging her.

Renfro smiled and leant forward, "as soon as you tell me just one more time exactly what Colonel Lydecker said to you."

Jim shrugged slightly and gave a look to her, his eye flashed over to Brin and myself.

"Why are they here?" he asked.

"Protection."

"I don't exactly think I can do anything to you," Jim pointed out, I silently agreed with him.

"Tell me what Lydecker said to you!" Renfro barked.

Jim sighed, "something crazy about you killing his kids."

"What?" I shouted, stepping forward, "who did you kill?!"

"Shut your mouth, 434!"

"NO! Who did you kill?" I screamed.

Brin grabbed my arm and pulled me back, "stop it."

"NO! Who did you kill, Renfro?!"

Renfro glared at me and nodded to Brin. Brin covered my mouth with her hand and knocked her fist into my back, making me kneel in submission. Brin knelt beside me and brought her mouth to my ear.

"Tinga," she whispered.

"What? No! No!" I cried, "my s-sister! She was supposed to join us here...Brin, she was supposed--"

"Shh, I know."

Renfro looked at me, "I'll deal with you later."

"Now, McGinnis, what did you say to Colonel Lydecker?" she continued.

Jim shrugged, "I don't remember, I lost an eye tonight."

I covered my mouth, trying to stop myself sobbing, I was trained to have the emotional range of a teaspoon but this was my sister! The phone suddenly rang and Renfro picked it up. Brin left the office while holding her ear with a hand, as if someone was talking into it.

"Yes?" she said, sounding frustrated. There was silence for a bit and then turned to Jim.

"You know, maybe this is all just a bad dream. Apparently you were just scanned into the DNA lab."

My eyes widened, I knew what was going on. Why Max had been in that alley the day I saw her. It was all coming together.

"Go to full alert. We have intruders. Stand by to mobilize the X7's," Renfro ordered into the phone and hung up.

The alarm started blaring and Renfro grabbed me by the arm, pulling me up. She slapped me across the face and shoved me backwards.

"Pull yourself together, soldier!" she ordered.

I nodded just as Brin re-entered the room, the alarm still blaring in the distance as the footsteps of soldiers and guards stormed past the office.

"We've got teams sweeping the compound, but according to control, there's no one out there," she told Renfro.

Renfro was already on the computer, clicking away on the mouse. She stopped and looked up at Brin and I.

"Yeah, that's because they hacked a fake feed into the damn surveillance system," she spat.

Renfro was able to get into the video that had been hacked, much to our fortune. She rewound it and we saw two people, a man and a woman in the DNA lab. I recognised them as Max and Zack. God, what was happening to me? I felt worried, sad and angry at Renfro...these people were my family but I hated them with such a passion...

"Target is primed," Zack's voice said on the video.

"God, no...get down there and disable those charges," Renfro said to Brin, "now!"

Brin nodded and ran out of the room, Renfro turned to me.

"And you, you need to come with me, now!" she fumed.

I followed her out and recognised where she was taking me, it was a room where there were chambers embedded in the walls. Chambers where the floor and the ceiling would close down on you and Renfro would leave you there for a week. It had a two-way mirror, so Renfro could see you but you could only see yourself. Renfro forced me into one of the said chambers, I tried to fight against her but a guard came and knocked me into the small space.

"I--" I started but Renfro slammed the entrance shut.

Outside of my sight, a lab tech flipped a switch, causing the floor and ceiling of my prison to draw closer together, forcing me into a crouch.

"State your profession," Renfro's voice said.

"Assassin and soldier," I said clearly.

"And please state what you're not supposed to be doing," she said.

"Being emotionally attached..."

"Very good."

The floor and ceiling drew closer together again, forcing me into a ball.

"Call me in a week," I heard Renfro order and then I was plunged into darkness.


	5. Something's Beginning

_Seattle, Washington, 2020_

The week had passed and the new year had started, Seattle was alive with people going back to work or scouting around for cheap things on the black market. The Depression still hadn't ended and the world knew nothing of the fight that had taken place in Wyoming at Manticore Headquarters. Suddenly, the televisions in each household, workplace and on the streets crackled and a pair of eyes appeared on the screen. This program was called Eyes Only, a short sixty second program that let the citizens of Seattle learn what was going on out there. The man behind Eyes Only was a mystery, nobody knew who or where he was but each of them tuned in to see what their government had been keeping from them.

"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a streaming freedom video bulletin. The cable hack will last exactly sixty seconds. It cannot be traced, it cannot be stopped,

and it is the only free voice left in this city," the television said.

The people watching all fell silent and peered at the screen, waiting for Eyes Only to continue his broadcast.

"Since the early 1900s, billions of your tax dollars have been diverted from legitimate government programs to fund secret experiments in genetic training," he started, "this covert operation is known as Project Manticore. Its goal: to create the perfect soldier, genetically enhanced for superior strength and speed. These children are subjected to relentless training and propaganda. In the winter of 2009, twelve of them escaped from a facility in Gillette, Wyoming. Some of them were captured; some of them were tortured; some gave their lives fighting to stay free. Since these cable hacks began, Manticore has consolidated it operations to a secret location. Eyes Only will find it, and the people responsible for these crimes will be brought to justice. This has been a streaming freedom video bulletin."

The screens crackled and whatever program was on before the hack, was back on television. Eyes Only had spoken.

_Manticore_

I was out of the prison Renfro has put me in and was now in the yard, going through fighting exercises. Max or 452 was back in Manticore now, too. While I was in my small, enclosed prison, Max and three of my other 'siblings' had broken into Manticore. Zack and Max had blown up the DNA lab and then tried to make a run for it like Syl and Krit did. But Renfro had let the X7's go out and try their luck, they brought both Zack and Max back but Max was near dead. The doctors of Manticore had tried to resuscitate her and bring her back but it was no use. She'd been shot in the chest, damaging the heart beyond repair. Zack had been the hero to save Max, give her a second chance to get out and live; he shot himself in the head and the doctors did a heart transplant.

Max fully recovered and was now training with me and the others to get back into the Manticore way of life, though she hated it. Right now, Max was fighting a male X5, whom was winning the battle. He kicked her down onto the ground over and over again.

"What's the matter, 452? Still recuperating?" he sneered.

"Bite me!" she spat, catching her breath.

"Must've given you a lousy heart," he chortled.

Max's eyes flared and she fought back with a fury. She kicked him to the ground and he didn't get up for a bit.

"452! Director wants to see you!" a drill sergeant called.

Max threw her hair over her shoulder and followed him out, glancing at me before leaving the yard. I sighed and looked at the male X5, he was standing again, massaging his stomach.

"I advice you not to talk about what happened to her," I said, "unless you want to die."

"You've been out in the world for too long, 434," he spat at me, shoving me backward.

I dropped into fighting stance, "you wanna try me?"

"You couldn't beat me if you wanted to, I'm better at this art of fighting than you are, 434," he sneered.

I punched him in the face, breaking his nose.

"434!" a drill sergeant yelled.

I turned around and glared at him, "he started it!"

"To the director, NOW!"

I gritted my teeth and kicked the male X5 down again, "stay down."

It was later that night and I was laying on my bunk again. Suddenly, the lights turned on and my door opened. A guard stepped in followed by a male X5 I recognised as 494.

"Have fun," the guard sneered and closed the door.

"What the Hell is going on?" I asked 494.

"Well, we're breeding partners since 452 and her buddies blew up the DNA lab. Come on, take off your clothes, we have an hour," 494 answered.

"What? No...I'm not doing this," I protested as he took off his shirt.

"Look, I'm in double the trouble, okay? I have to copulate with you and 452 every night until both of you get pregnant," he said.

"452? Why do you have two partners?" I asked.

"Because I'm trustworthy and Renfro knows 452 will submit if she knows I work directly for said director...which didn't work out so well," 494 said impatiently. "Now, take off your clothes."

He started to undo his belt and I stood up, pushing him away from me.

"I may be an assassin but I do have morals!"

He sighed and looked at me, "look, I just came back from 452's and she wasn't exactly willing to co-operate either. I spent an hour sitting there while she sulked, so I'm already gonna have my ass handed to me by Renfro. Wanna save me some extra pain?"

"Not really. I'm not in the merciful mood," I snarled.

"She'll get mad at you, too--you know what? Fine. Have it your way."

I watched him do up his belt again and put his shirt back on, he settled on my bed and closed his eyes.

"I have about fifty-five minutes to kill, wake me up when the guard comes to collect me," he said and got comfortable.

"Unbelievable..."


	6. Alec and Promises

The next morning we were all standing in line with our partner or in X5-494's case, partner_s_. Renfro was standing in front of each couple, asking for a report if the copulation was successful or unsuccessful.

"Report," she demanded.

"Successful copulation with X5-392, ma'am," a male X5 answered.

"Excellent," Renfro smiled coldly and moved to the next couple. "Report."

"Copulation was unsuccessful, ma'am," the female of the pair answered.

"Explain."

"X5-698 failed to achieve minimum mission requirements, ma'am," the female said.

X5-494 and I watched two guards drag away X5-698 away, I looked at 494. I didn't want to sleep with him but that didn't mean I wanted him to die either. I mean, he was kinda cute. He was tall, about 6'1", had sandy brown hair, gorgeous hazel eyes and a really adorable smirk. Okay, so he was easy on the eyes, fair enough. I tore my eyes away from him just as Renfro approached the three of us.

"Report," she ordered to Max and 494.

Neither of them answered straight away, I tried not to bite my lip as Renfro gave them a suspicious glare.

"Successful copulation between myself and X5-452, ma'am. Twice," 494 answered finally.

Renfro looked surprised, "excellent, 452. What would your boyfriend say?"

Max didn't respond and Renfro smiled, she then looked up into 494's face.

"And copulation between yourself and the lovely 434...?" she pushed.

494 smiled, "successful, three times, ma'am. She's quite a pistol."

Renfro smiled at me, "we'll get you tested soon enough, 434. Perhaps you can pride yourself on being the first of the X5's to add to the Manticore family."

"It would be my pleasure, ma'am," I lied.

Renfro turned back to Max, "tell me something. Did you receive any medical treatment when you were on the outside?"

"No, ma'am," Max replied.

"Huh, please follow me."

494 and myself watched as Max was led away by Renfro, 494 turned to me and smirked.

"Well, what do you think she's gonna say when she finds out you're not pregnant?"

I shrugged, "I'll say you have a little problem."

494 glared at me, "I have no problems. I was made perfect."

"Says you."

I smiled at 494 and walked away from him, he jogged past me, trying to beat me to our training area. What a freak.

"X5-434, out here, now!" our drill sergeant barked.

I walked out to him, onto the blue training mat. I faced him, waiting for him to call up my partner.

"494!" he called.

I inwardly groaned as 494 stepped up, he smirked and faced me. The drill sergeant stood between us and looked at us.

"You will only press one another to the mat for three seconds!" he barked, "no injuries! No cheap moves!"

"Yes, sir!" 494 and I said simultaneously.

The drill sergeant stepped out of the middle, stood at the edge of the mat. 494 and I stared at each other, trying to psyche each other out. He smirked again and I rose an eyebrow.

"Start!"

I lunged at 494, he blocked me. I went in for a kick, he blocked it by grabbing my calf. I glared at him, he wouldn't let go. I punched him in the jaw, then our training fight turned ugly. Fists and legs were flying at each other, I connected with him every time. He, unfortunately had the same luck. I grabbed his shoulders and jumped up over him, landing behind him. I kicked him in the small of the back, he hit the mat with his stomach. I smiled in triumph and knelt beside him, my knee in between his shoulder blades, holding him down.

"And that's three! 494, up! 434, well done!" the drill sergeant barked.

I got up and smiled sarcastically, helping 494 up. He glared at me as he brushed himself off the dust.

"No hard feelings," I sighed and turned away, my hair whipping him across the face.

I heard him chuckle, "I let her win..."

The next night, we were back in our cells; dinner had been served with our usual vitamins, check-up on our vitals, the usual screwed up Manticore routine. The lights in my cell turned on and 494 walked in, I sighed. He chuckled slightly as the doors closed and sat on the edge of my cot.

"You know, after today, when I _let_ you kick my ass, don't expect to be getting any love from me. Unless, of course, you make it up to me," he smirked.

"Ugh," I muttered and kicked him off my cot. "You know, I think I have the perfect name for you--"

"Oh, no. Don't tell me you're like 'Max' with the naming. My designation is--"

"What did she name you?" I interrupted.

494 fixed me with an expression of disbelief, "well, that was rude. Just cutting me off... I'd expect better from you--"

He kept rambling and I sighed, waiting for him to finish. He looked at me and stopped talking.

"Okay, fine. She named me Alec..." he said.

"Alec," I repeated, "any specific reason why?"

He shrugged, "in her words, 'Alec, as in smart Aleck'... I can work with it."

"All right, _Alec_, it's better than a number."

He groaned, "God, you're corrupt, too."

I smirked, "ah well."

"Okay, so we got an hour... Are we getting naked or what?"

"Or what," I snarled.

He raised his hands in surrender, "fine."

Rumours and whispers followed everyone the next day. X5-452 was one of the most well known X5's between the rest of the unit; only because she was recaptured after ten years of fighting to stay out. I had spoken to one of the guards at my barracks, he'd told me that Director Renfro had found out who Eyes Only was; apparently, this was bad news for 452. I saw her in the training area, getting loaded up with a gun and a full uniform for a 'bush walk'.

"452," I said, walking up to her and grabbing one of the guns. "I heard about that Eyes Only guy..."

"What's it to you?" she asked, looking at me. "I tried to help you out there and you didn't want--"

"Max."

She stopped talking; I'd used her name, the one that showed how desperately she wanted out.

"I know you want out to save him because you must have some kind of relationship with him-- I want to help," I whispered.

"How? How could you help me?"

I shrugged, "find a way out of this Hell and I'm standing at your side with fighting for freedom."

Max smiled slightly, "all right, I'm working on it. Come to my cell when your breeding partner leaves--"

"Kind of a problem there... After 'Alec' is finished with you, he comes to me, remember?"

"Damn..."

"434!" a drill sergeant yelled.

I turned around quickly and saluted, "yes, Sir!"

"You're in the wrong area! Get back to the barracks!"

"Yes, Sir!"

I looked at Max again, "contact me..."

She nodded and I jogged away. Was I doing the right thing? I wanted out, true enough but working with her...?


	7. Freedom

**Author's Note: **Okie dokie, so this is where Designate This comes in. Most of it is from the episode, so I do not take credit for characters, dialogue and events that happen in this chapter. Thank you!

* * *

I guess it must have been my lucky day, eh? As soon as I'd left the yard and gotten back to the barracks, Renfro had a guard to pick me up and take me to her. The metal door opened and Renfro looked up from her desk.

"Ah, 434... I want you to do something for me," she said and walked around her desk to stand in front of me.

"How can I be of assistance, ma'am?"

Renfro looked into my face, "I want you to play along with this, okay?"

"With what, ma'am?"

"An informant, none other than X5-494, has told me that 452 plans to escape. I've allowed him to help her only to trail her, you will go with them--"

"But won't she know that--?"

"No. She's going to go to Eyes Only, who's DNA we have. She's infected with a virus that's specifically coded to his gene sequence. She touches him, he dies. She's going to escape and you will retrieve her with 494. Tell her that the only way Eyes Only will live is if she brings him back to Manticore and he tells me everything he knows. But if you fail, 434, you will come back to Manticore, is that clear?"

"Permission to speak?"

"Permission granted."

"What if she doesn't do as you say? Obviously Eyes Only will die but shouldn't I at least try to bring her back even if the other side of the mission fails?" I asked, looking at her with curiosity.

Renfro paused for a moment and then leaned in to me, "434, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. If Eyes Only lives and tells me everything he knows, that's good, Manticore will still exist and he will die anyway. But Eyes Only knows our location, he will expose us and the Committee will bury us. News vans will be parked outside the perimeter and the world will know that there are genetically engineered soldiers here. There will only be one solution to this problem if it happens: I will burn this place to the ground with all of you inside. On record this is a VA hospital and all the world will know is that a tragic fire occurred, killing all its patients. End of story."

I glared slightly at her, "so, I'm supposed to believe--"

"You will do as I say unless you want it to be your fault that all of you are going to die."

I nodded, "understood. I understand my mission..."

God, forgive me, Max.

That afternoon, I caught up with Alec. He smiled at me and grabbed my arm, leading the way to Max's cell.

"They brief you?" he asked.

I nodded, "yeah. Why are you a part of this?"

He smirked, "I help you bring them back here... Unless you're gonna bail on me."

I shook my head, "no, I won't."

"You're not as corrupt as 'Max' then... Anyway, we help her escape, tail her back to wherever she's going and then cut the deal."

"And why do both of us have to go?"

"You'll be leverage because she sees some good in you. She knew you when you were both still here before the escape. She left, you stayed, she wants to help you out. I'm going because I'm a loyal Manticore soldier," he explained.

"You do know what will happen if Manticore is exposed?"  
"No but I don't want to know either, that's why we need to get her out of here before that idiot Eyes Only exposes us."

I glared at him as he stopped in front of Max's cell door, "they torture us here, why do you want to stay so bad?"

He looked down at me, "we have a roof over our heads, enough food. We're good here. Home. Why do you want to get out of here then?"  
"Because I think Max is right."

"That's it, you're going back to Renfro. You can't do this," Alec ordered, trying to yank me away.

I punched him, "I'm going to complete this mission for Manticore."

"Why? You hate it so much, jeopardise it and move on," Alec spat.

"I do hate it, you're right. But I don't want everyone to die because of Eyes Only's big mouth."

Alec smiled, "good enough for me."

The guard opened the door and we stepped inside. Max sat up, breathing quickly.

"You okay?" Alec asked, pulling me in after him. "Guess they finally got it out of you..."

Max looked at the floor, an expression of discomfort on her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered.

Alec nudged me and I glared, "Heard they were sending an X5 to take out some reporter friend of yours."

"I didn't tell them anything," she answered.

"Are you sure?" Alec asked.

"I gotta get out of here now," Max said after a pause, I looked at Alec, he nodded subtly.

Max put her bunk up against the wall and started removing a brick.

"Wow, guess you've been on that for a while..." I noted.

"Since I got back in here."

Alec stepped beside the bunk and rested his arm on top of it, "you're in no shape to be tangling with those X7's. If you're lucky, you'll make it to the yard and they'll take you alive."  
"Then help me," Max replied, pulling the brick out.

Alec shook his head, "I told you, I'm not looking for trouble."

I leaned against the wall, watching them. Alec's lies were almost enough to fool me, no wonder he was one of the top ranking soldiers in Manticore. He was one of the ones Manticore sent on deep cover missions; some lasted weeks, months, others could have been years. My first deep cover mission lasted eleven months; I was employed by my target as the nanny for his three children. Seven months later, after he and his wife had come to name me part of the family, I blew up their house. I'd been ordered to take out the whole family, even the kids that I had come to love. I was put in isolation for the next two months, enduring torture and questioning. There were just some things you beg to forget.

"This is your chance to get me out of your life for good," Max told Alec, breaking my train of thought.

Alec looked thoughtful, "I guess if you escape, I'll be able to spend two hours with 434..."

I glared at him, he smirked and Max looked hopeful.

"Now we're talking."

We'd slid down through the gap made by Max. Alec grabbed my hips and pulled me gently down into his arms, I smiled slightly at him as he put me down.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"Welcome," he smiled and turned around.

I looked at my surroundings, we appeared to be in some kind of basement. I gasped slightly as I saw who or rather _what_ was standing beside Max. It was a transgenic, that was obvious. Half human, half dog. He had long, dark hair, a very canine face, complete with teeth. And he was tall.

"More X5's?" it said, a male voice.

Max nodded, "yeah. This is Alec and Raven."

I looked at her, shocked. I'd almost forgotten the name I'd been given back when we were kids.

"Raven? Raven in her cocktail?" the tall transgenic asked.

"Nope, no raven. She's just like me..." Max smiled at him.

The dog-man sniffed the air and growled. I backed up slightly, bumping into Alec.

"Whoa, man. Hold up," he said and looked up at the dog-man.

"It's okay, Joshua," Max soothed.

"Cat. Cat in her cocktail, too," Joshua said.

I nodded, "yeah... Don't chase me up a tree, okay?"

Joshua nodded and Max grabbed my arm, "you wanna help me? Start now. We're going to get these bars off the window we're walking to now. You and Alec are going to act as decoys with Joshua to get me past the perimeter."

"How do I know you won't disappear and not come back? Just like last time..." I asked, looking at her.

"I'll come back. Promise."

Five minutes later, Max and I were sawing at the bars; needless to say, it was slow work. Alec was leaning against the wall, watching us. He sighed in frustration and poked my leg. I turned my head to look at him.

"Yeah?"

He motioned with his hand, "it'll be quicker if I do it."

"I'm good," I protested.

Alec groaned and shook his head, grabbed me around the waist and pulled me off the crates stacked up to reach the window.

"Hey!"

Alec set me down and climbed onto the crates, I crossed my arms and pouted, leaned against the wall. Joshua stood beside me, I looked up at him and smiled.

"So, Joshua... tell me about yourself," I smiled.

"People afraid of what's different," he said glumly.

I nodded, "yeah, they are..."

"Max outside, that's the plan," he said, looking sadly at me.

I patted his arm, "you're sick of Manticore, too?"

"People... Up there people, Father ran away, lost in the people."

"'Father'?" I repeated. "You mean Lydecker?"

Joshua growled, "no... Father-- Father Sandeman."

I saw Max glance over at us, I could tell she cared about what happened to Joshua.

"Did Max name you?" I asked, smiling slightly again.

Joshua shook his head, "no, Father did. I was first. Special."

"You were the first transgenic he made?" I asked.

Joshua nodded again and I saw his shoulders slump. I felt sorry for Joshua; he seemed kind, gentle and so miserable. Poor guy.

"X7's in the forest. Pretty... pretty whack," he said.

"Yeah, yeah, Sasquatch. Hey, why don't you make yourself useful, and, uh... quit mumbling and come over here and help us out with these bars?" Alec cut in.

I glared at him, how rude was he? Poor Joshua.

"Okay," Joshua mumbled and got off the wall. He walked over to the crates and gestured for Max and Alec to get off, they did and Joshua went to the window and pulled the bars right off of it.

I looked astonished, as did Max. Joshua handed the bars to Alec and growled, Alec gulped. Max stepped forward and looked at the three of us.

"Everybody knows what to do?" she asked.

Joshua was running through the forest in front of us, Alec grabbed my arm and hauled me after him; I rolled my eyes. Alec and I stopped, he turned around; we both heard more people running through the forest. X7's.

"Hey! He's getting away! Come on!" he called to them.

The little guys ran past us, armed and dangerous. Alec pushed me to make me start running after Joshua again. Behind us, Max dropped from a tree and ran in the other direction.

"Trail Max!" he said and wrestled Joshua, I nodded and ran away, blurring into the trees.

I saw Max ran toward the perimeter fence, I caught up to her just as she knocked an X7 away. She leaped over the fence the other X7 was guarding, he shot at her but missed. I sighed in relief as Max landed on the other side and looked at the X7, then me. The little guy took aim but Joshua came out of nowhere and hurled him into the trees.

"C'mon, Raven!" Max called.

I nodded and smiled at Joshua before leaping over the fence and landing beside Max.

"You blaze!" Joshua barked.

Max nodded and grabbed my hand, "c'mon!"

We both ran through the trees, blurring away into the free land. I was out!


End file.
